UPDATE: Dog bites off Bradenton boy's finger

Published: Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 6:41 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 6:41 a.m.

BRADENTON - UPDATE An 11-year-old Bradenton boy remains in Tampa General Hospital today, recovering after surgeons were unable to reattach a finger bit off by a family dog.

On Friday night, Fernando Brignoni approached the caged dog and “stuck his hand through the slots in the cage” to pet it, Manatee County sheriff's deputies reported. The dog, reported to be a Malamute-wolf mix, bit the child on the left hand and completely severed his pinky.

The boy's father, Louis Brignoni, removed the dog from its cage, shot it multiple times and killed it. “The father then retrieved the severed finger from the dog's stomach” while waiting for paramedics to arrive at the backyard of the home in the 5200 block of 22nd Street Court East in Bradenton, deputies reported.

Paramedics initially took Fernando to All Children's Hospital but later transferred him to Tampa General.

The hospital confirmed that Fernando remained in the pediatrics unit today but declined to give his condition.

Manatee County Animal Control took the dog's remains.

EARLIER An 11-year-old Bradenton boy had one of his fingers bitten off by a dog Friday night, after which the boy's father shot and killed the dog to retrieve the finger, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report.

According to the report:

The boy was at his home in the 5200 block of 22nd Court E. shortly after 6 p.m. when he approached the dog, which was in its cage. The boy stuck his hand through the slots in the cage door to pet the dog. The dog bit him on the left hand, completely severing the child's pinky finger and possibly breaking his forearm.

The child's father took the dog out of the cage and shot it multiple times, killing it. The father then retrieved the severed finger from the dog's stomach while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

The boy was taken by a Bayflight helicopter to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg for treatment. The report does not specify his condition.

A preliminary investigation support's the father's account, the report says, and it appears to have been an accident. No arrests were made

Neither the father's nor the child's name has been released.

Manatee County Animal Control has taken possession of the dog's remains.

<p><em>BRADENTON</em> - <i>UPDATE</i> An 11-year-old Bradenton boy remains in Tampa General Hospital today, recovering after surgeons were unable to reattach a finger bit off by a family dog.</p><p>On Friday night, Fernando Brignoni approached the caged dog and “stuck his hand through the slots in the cage” to pet it, Manatee County sheriff's deputies reported. The dog, reported to be a Malamute-wolf mix, bit the child on the left hand and completely severed his pinky.</p><p>The boy's father, Louis Brignoni, removed the dog from its cage, shot it multiple times and killed it. “The father then retrieved the severed finger from the dog's stomach” while waiting for paramedics to arrive at the backyard of the home in the 5200 block of 22nd Street Court East in Bradenton, deputies reported.</p><p>Paramedics initially took Fernando to All Children's Hospital but later transferred him to Tampa General.</p><p>The hospital confirmed that Fernando remained in the pediatrics unit today but declined to give his condition.</p><p>Manatee County Animal Control took the dog's remains.</p><p><i>EARLIER</i> An 11-year-old Bradenton boy had one of his fingers bitten off by a dog Friday night, after which the boy's father shot and killed the dog to retrieve the finger, according to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report. </p><p>According to the report:</p><p>The boy was at his home in the 5200 block of 22nd Court E. shortly after 6 p.m. when he approached the dog, which was in its cage. The boy stuck his hand through the slots in the cage door to pet the dog. The dog bit him on the left hand, completely severing the child's pinky finger and possibly breaking his forearm. </p><p>The child's father took the dog out of the cage and shot it multiple times, killing it. The father then retrieved the severed finger from the dog's stomach while waiting for paramedics to arrive.</p><p>The boy was taken by a Bayflight helicopter to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg for treatment. The report does not specify his condition.</p><p>A preliminary investigation support's the father's account, the report says, and it appears to have been an accident. No arrests were made</p><p>Neither the father's nor the child's name has been released.</p><p>Manatee County Animal Control has taken possession of the dog's remains.</p>